


Slowly Losing Air

by blushing_pretzel



Series: No Time To Breathe [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A prologue kinda?, Female Harry Potter, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2019-11-09 04:41:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17995058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blushing_pretzel/pseuds/blushing_pretzel
Summary: In the years before Maggie had No Time To Breathe, she was at Hogwarts, up to no good. Between the dragons, flying cars, quidditch, convicts, werewolves, wars, balls, nearly dying for a cat, and crushes on friend's brothers, how's a girl to survive?-Or: Maggie's life has always been interesting, and Charlie is almost always involved.-A series of not necessarily linear one-shots in the world of Magnolia Potter. Companion piece to No Time To Breath.





	1. Of Dragons

**Author's Note:**

> Look at this! How Maggie and Charlie met! How darling! Lmao, thought this would be good background for how they got to where there are now.

_Charlie!_

_How’s Romania? Mum is constantly in a worry about you, last time she wrote she was worried about how you don’t write much. I think she’s just sad that her second son left home, honestly._

_Anyway, you’re probably wondering why I’m writing. Last time I wrote, I was telling you that me, the twins, and Perc weren’t gonna come along for Christmas so you probably think I’m gonna give you bad news. I promise it isn’t REALLY bad. Only kind of bad._

_Hagrid managed to get his hands on a dragon egg. And it bloody well hatched. He doesn’t want to let Norbert go, but he a Norwegian Ridgeback of all things! Hagrid calls himself its mum._

_It’s funny, really, because Norbert only seems to like Mags. She loves him of course, but she was the one that suggested (more like forced me) to write you because Norbert is quite vicious._

_Is there any way you can make the trip to get him? Norbert’ll burn down Hogwarts here soon and we don’t know what else to do._

_Love, Ron_

Charlie gaped at the letter. Godric, what had his brother gotten himself into? At least this Mags seemed to have a head on her shoulders. Wait, Mags. Maggie… the girl that his brothers stayed at Hogwarts with so she didn’t have to be alone over the holiday. Maggie was Magnolia Potter, right?

Thank Merlin the savior of the magical world could actually think ahead. Without her, who knows what his brother would do.

His three youngest brothers ensured he did not want children. After seeing what they could do, after seeing this, he’s signed off on having a family. The dragon tamer sighed and wrote to his baby brother, setting up a time to retrieve Norbert.

Charlie had the feeling this was just the first of many stunts that he’d get involved with.

* * *

Charlie hopped off his broom in the astronomy tower, standing before his brother and the girl. His mates were still on their way, merely minutes away. There was a wooden crate on the ground between them, the telltale sounds of a snoozing dragon filling the air.

“Thank Merlin you’re here! Norbert nearly chomped off my finger and ’Mione’s hand! ’Mione is still in the hospital wing!” Ron exclaimed. Ron’s friend glared up at him, her eyes narrowing.

“You two didn’t treat him with respect, Ron. I told you both not to treat him like a common pet,” The crimson haired girl glared. She was tiny for her size, she would pass as 9 at best. She was skinny and short, with long curly hair that she seemed to have to compensate for her height. Her eyes were emerald green with flecks of silver in them. Her features were aristocratic, but young. She looked younger than Ginny. The way she spoke, on the other hand, conveyed her as an adult.

Ron rolled his eyes and looked to his brother, “Charlie, this is Maggie. Mags, this is my brother Charlie.”

Maggie looked up at the tall young man and thrust her hand out to him, “Good to meet you finally. I’ve heard much about you from Ron.”

Charlie grinned at the girl. From what he’d heard of his mother and his brothers, Maggie was usually shy and bashful. A swell of smugness rose in his chest as he shook her hand, “Nice to meet you, Tiny. Thank you for getting my brother to write me about this.”

Maggie blushed at the name, her bashful nature shining through. Ron snickered.

“I love Norbert, and I know going to be with his own kind would be the best thing for him. Regardless of how much I want to keep him,” Maggie murmured, looking down.

“You’d probably keep him if your bloody cat wasn’t terrified,” Ron challenged.

“I told you to write Charlie long before Demetrius met Norbert, and I’d thank you not to make me out to be a child as I am the one who figured out how to get Malfoy off our tail,” Maggie snapped at her friend, but her mischievous smile reflected her real feelings, “And healed your dragon bite.”

“Has she met Ginny yet?” Charlie interrupted, amazed and humored by the similarities between the girl and his sister. No wonder all his brothers were fond of her, Maggie handled Ron like Ginny would.

“They’ve written. She has dirt on me, Percy, and even the _twins_ ,” Ron huffed.

Charlie laughed as his fellow Dragonologists, Matteus and Clem, landed. The men had large smiles, amazed by the two first years with a dragon of all things.

Clem and Matteus were there for but a minute before they took off, the fireproofed crate that’d been charmed for them to tote it along between them.

“This is so illegal,” Charlie ran a hand through his shaggy hair. He turned back to his brother and Maggie, sighing, “Please don’t do anything else this bad again. You’re lucky I can’t tell mum about this because I’d be in trouble too, or else she would rip you both a new one. Give her a right scare, you two would.”

Maggie looked confusedly at Ron, who was staring at the ground sheepishly. Her head tilted, she looked back to Charlie, “Why would she be scared?”

Ron’s head whipped up and he sent Charlie a pleading look not to question Maggie’s confusion. Charlie’s brows were furrowed as Ron spoke, “I’ve told you Mags, Mum cares for you a great deal. That’s why you’re visiting this summer, you are family now.”

Maggie nodded slowly before turning giving Charlie a shy smile, “Thank you so much, Charlie. I hope to see you again soon.”

With that, Maggie threw a cloak over herself and Ron, effectively disappearing. As he heard clumsy footsteps and the first years teasing one another, Charlie promised himself to visit England on a regular basis.


	2. Of Dragon Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie is nervous. Hermione grows suspicious. Ginny protects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHAHA I PROMISE I'M WORKING ON NO TIME TO BREATHE I'LL HAVE IT DONE NEXT WEEK MAYBE

Maggie grumbled as she glared at her potions essay (or lack of therefore). Hermione was occasionally glancing at her, amused by her friend. Every time she looked, the quill in Maggie’s hand was more chewed on and the few words inked dried more and more. The common room was quiet and calm, she couldn’t even make an excuse that she was distracted by other students.

“You are aware that glaring does nothing for your cause, correct?” Hermione finally asked her friend, about 45 minutes in.

“I hate potions,” Maggie quipped, flashing Hermione her ever charming, Black-family smile (more so the late Sirius Black’s smile). Hermione rolled her eyes at her friend.

“Obviously Maggie, but you know you won’t get anywhere by glaring at your parchment. You only have to do twelve inches on only one of the uses of dragon blood,” Hermione rationalized, “Slughorn is just readying us for OWLs.”

Maggie huffed and propped up her leg on a spare chair, the one she’d injured to save that damn cat of hers. Hermione noticed the motion but remained quiet.

“I’m going to write Charlie and see if he has any information that is more interesting than what the bloody book gives,” Maggie finally muttered.

“Oh for… Maggie, what use did you choose?” Hermione huffed and grabbed her friend’s parchment, reading over the first several lines.

_There are twelve known uses for dragon’s blood today. One of the main uses that is rarely discussed is the magic enhancing property. Dragons, as a whole, have magical properties that help Wizards on a daily basis. For example, Dragon Heartstring is a common core for wands- concentrating the magical ability of the Witch or Wizard. While magic is possible without the use of wands, it is not as powerful._

_Dragon blood is used to strengthen po…_

The essay ended abruptly. Hermione was impressed. Sure, it was only an inch and a half long, but it was well written, especially for a potions essay by none other than Maggie.

“This is good Maggie, why are you so frustrated?” Hermione raised a brow.

“Because I don’t know why Dragon Blood enhances us! I’m actually interested in potions for once and I have no answers! The book doesn’t discuss why either. It just says it does. And I haven’t exactly seen Dumbledore to question him, even though he’d be the best person to ask because he’s partially responsible for the discovery. And I’m nervous to Owl Charlie!” Maggie huffed.

Hermione nodded, suddenly understanding her friend’s plight. She scooted closer to her, giving her a comforting half hug. “Maggie. Owl Charlie. You have a school girl crush on him, so what? You guys are friends. He’d be more suspicious if you didn’t owl him. You need to do this essay, and he can help.”

“I don’t have a crush on him, Hermione,” Maggie said. It wasn’t really a lie- she had more than a crush on Charlie, but no one needed to know that. Nor of the tense good bye they’d had at the Burrow two weeks ago. Nor of the lingering kiss on her forehead and the hug that just friends shouldn’t share.

Maggie simply nodded at her friend and pulled out another piece of parchment, starting a letter to Charlie.

As she wrote, her mind drifted back to her good bye with Charlie.

_Charlie had his arms wrapped around her tightly as they stood in his room, seemingly trying to protect her from unseen forces._

_“You better write, Maggie. I need to know what fresh Hell you bring as quidditch captain,” He grinned, pulling from the hug slightly._

_“You know I will Charlie,” She grinned a bit, “Thank you again for saving me after I got hit for that damn cat.”_

_“Maggie, that was one of the stupidest things you’ve ever done. Please never make me save you like that again,” He sighed._

_“You know you love saving me, I’m irresistible,” She teased._

_He laughed, “Tiny, you really are lucky you’re so cute.”_

_Maggie blushed. Charlie caught her eyes and became hyper aware that they still had their arms wrapped around each other._

_“Please be safe, Maggie,” He whispered._

_“Only if you are, Dragon Man,” She smiled softly. He nodded. She relaxed in his arms. Charlie leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, staying there, as if to commit her scent and touch to memory._

_Maggie’s eyes closed as she took it in. She knew she wasn’t imagining this. Charlie was actually holding to her._

_The two finally let go when Molly gave final call._

_“Go on, I’ll see you at Christmas,” He assured._

_“See you at Christmas,” She nodded. As she hurried down the stairs, making silent promises. “_ After the war _.”_

Maggie finished the letter to Charlie as she drifted out of her thoughts. She’d wrote out of pure instinct, mindlessly.

She read over it quickly, ensuring it was safe to send. She quickly signed, _“Love, M.B.”_

“I’m going to go mail this, ‘Mione. I’ll be back in about 20 minutes!” Maggie grinned and took off.

Hermione watched her friend suspiciously, having watched her friend’s cheeks redden as she penned the letter. When she nosily read what Maggie was writing, there wasn’t a bloody word about the essay.

What was going on? The girl spotted Ginny sitting near the fire. Without a second though, Hermione made a beeline for her.

“Ginny,” Hermione grabbed her attention from the book her nose was buried in. Was that a romance novel? That was something to discuss later.

“Mione, how are you?” Ginny grinned up at her. Hermione sat on the edge of the chair Ginny was curled up on.

“Do you know anything about Charlie and Maggie’s friendship?” Hermione pried.

Ginny had not expected that question. Sure, she knew that Hermione would eventually grow curious, but not this soon. Quickly thinking about how to answer, she shook her head before explaining, “Charlie sees Mags as another little sister,” Lie, “He cares for her a great deal,” Not a lie, “She’s one of the family,” Not a lie. Ginny felt comfortable with that, she told the truth more than not.

Hermione slowly nodded, “They just seem close.”

“That’s because they are. They have been since that damn dragon in your first year,” Ginny shrugged, “You’re reading too much into this. Drop it, Mione.”

Hermione sighed but nodded again, “Okay, okay. I’ll drop it for now. I need to finish my essay.”

Ginny watched her walk back to her table, breathing in relief.

Merlin, Maggie and Charlie were lucky Hermione hadn’t seen them when they were saying good bye back home.

Ginny had watched them for years, but only in the last year and a half had the dynamic shifted from familial to something more. They weren’t obvious, but if they thought they were alone, things were different. The girl hummed a small tune to herself before turning back to her book. How she hoped that Maggie and Charlie would be able to figure it out one day- and that everyone would understand.


End file.
